Outdoor lamp-receptacle.



No. 875,964. PATBNTED JAN. 7, 190s.

J. s. STEWART. OUTDOOR LAMP REOBPTAOLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13.1908.

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W, O On Q/Mm ZL' WLM/momo No. 875,964. PATENTED JAN. v, 1908. J. s. STEWART.

GUTDOOR LAMP RBCEPTAGLE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13.1908.

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' 5T Suo t mw www up Z W Vagin/Mey@ Un'irnn JAMES S. STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR lO ANN lll S'lEWAlt'l, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

sra'rns ranas?? OUTDOOR LAMP-RECEPTACLE.

No. smeet.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ZEateutecl Jan. 7, 1908.

Application led June 13. 190G- Serial No. 321,451

To all 'whom it ma concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES S. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of N ew York, in the and State of New York, have invented ecrtain new and useful Improvements in Outdoor Lamp-leceptacles,` of which thc following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

I My invention relates to a receptacle for incandescent lamps, and pertains particularlir to that class for use in out-door wiring.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which has combined or attached therewith a holding or suppmting means, not only for the receptacle itself, but for the circuit wires as well. The circuit Wires are furthermore held in properlyr spaced n relation from the `ceiling' or supporting snrface over which they are stretched.

A further object of the invention is to provide an out-door receptacle with special means for clamping' the circuit wires, which is ver i secure, pleasingr in appearance, and not liable to breakage, even by careless or ignorant handling.

A still further object of the invention is to secure a receptacle which is absolutelyr Weather-proof for all the interior connections and parts of opposite polarity, aud in which the terminals or circuit wire connections are also protected from ingress of rain water, or moisture from any source.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a quick means for making the electrical connection with circuit wires, to improve the. fastening by which the usual threaded shell is secured within the porcelain part of the re ceptacle, and iinally to generally simplify and cheapen "eceptacles of this class, and ,make-r4 thern cheaper to manufacture, more durable in use,- and more pleasing in appearance.

`With these and other objects in view, they invention consists in the construction, combination, in the location and in the arrangernen't of parts, as hereinafter set forth and shown, and. finall f particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawinffs: Figure l is a view of a receptacle embodying the principles of my invention looking toward the surface on which it is sup iorted; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing tlie receptacle mounted on a horizontal supporting surface; Fiff, 3 is a muntyof New York view of the l l r l l i l i i l l l l l l i l i l l l porcelain'block or housin with all of the connections and metal parts removed; Fig. il is a detail side view; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view olI one of the metallic clips or parts; Fig. (l shows a modified construction of 1'ecepl:clc also embodying certain leaturesol my invention; Fig. 7 is a view of the same mounted on the upper face of a horizontal base or surface.

In the use oll electric lamp receptacles, a great variety of serious dilliculties arise, and so far .l am aware, no present form of receptacle fully overcomes all of these difliculties, or even any one ol' them` Perhaps the most serious defect of the receptacles for out-door wiring is duc to the entrance of moisture or dampness which enables an electrolytic action to lake place between metallic parts of dillerent polarity, so that these are rapidly disintegrated and destroyed. ilven a small amount of moisture is sullicient to cause this result, because if the action once becomes started, the metallic `salts formed make the dampness of the rcceptacle much more conductine, so that the electrolytic action and the disintegration proceed thereafter very rapidly. An addi# tional trouble which is found vwith out-door wiringr arises by the unequal expansion of the porcelain and the metallic parts. The customary construction is to have a porce lain housing cemented around a metallic shell, and since the rates ol expansion are umfqual, it is usual to have alarge percentage of the receptacles ruptured by the cold in winter, Added to these inconveniences, there is the loss by breakage when the receptacles are first connected up to the circuit wires. Porcelain is a brittle material, and the average workman breaks a large percentage ol` the various fixtures by driving? the usual screws too lirmly into place. A proper lamp receptacle must, therefore, not only be cheap and ellicient, not liable lo short circuit, and conformable to the insurance regulations, but must avoid the above mentioned defects so far as this possible. ln carryinpr out my invention l aim to fully secure all of the purposes and objects mentioned. Y

Referring now to'the drawings in which like parts are designateil by the same reference sign, 1 indicates a block, housing, support or frame, and which constitutes the body of the receptacle, and is conveniently made of porcelamor other insulating subi stance. In carrying out my invention I make this housing in one integral piece, and specially formed to secure certain important purposes, as hereinafter described. This is conveniently attained by having a central cylindrical part 2,'with a pair of integral supporting legs 3, The legs 3 are designed to constitute supports for the circuit wires, and in one form of my invention they are designed to contain the terminals or connec= tions of the receptacle for completing the circuit of the lamp, Before referring to these features, however, I' will consider the construction of the socket, andthe way it is mounted and held.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the central' cylindrical portion 2, of the receptacle is chambered out, as shown at 4, forming a cylindrical cavity or recess of sufficient diameter to receive a threaded shell 5, or similar metallic connection for an electric lamp. In practice I make th'e shell 5v flared or cuiled over upon its upper edge, as shown at 6, and the porcelain part 2 is channeled out, as shown at 7, so as to receivethe flaring lip thus formed. In this channel and surrounding the lip I place a small quantity of cement 8, which is sufficient to prevent the ingress of moisture around the shell. In order to adequately support the shell against turning movement when a lamp is screwed into place therein, the shell is conveniently embossed with spaced protuberances 9, which enter corresponding notches 10 formed in the surface of the porcelain for this 'purpose. These provide a sufiicient anchorage for the shell, but prevent any displacement thereof, so that no strain is put on the ccment, and the latter remains effective for its particular function of keeping out the moisture from the interior parts.

The inner end of the shell 5 is peened or riveted over a porcelain button 11, which constitutes a support for the central terminal 12 of the lamp. This terminal is conveniently formed of a washer having a hole punched in its center and soldered to a short section of wire 13. T he solder for-ms a sort of rivet connection foithe washer 12, as shown at. 14. 15 indicates an additional wire connection which is soldered to the shell at the point 16.

Instead of having the connection wires 13 and 15 issue through holes in the closed end of the housing, I make the closed end 17 entirely imperforate, so that there is no possibility of any. water entering, at this point, and I form a pair of duets or passages 1S and 19 in an inclined direction through the two supporting legs 3, so that the connection wires 13 and 1,5 may be bent around and led outward through these passages issuing through the flat faces of the legs 3, adjacent to the central part 2. At these pqints the terminal connections are made in the preferred form of my invention.

l It will be seen that alam may be properly supported by thereceptacle, making roper connections with the threaded shell? with the central stud terminal 12, the housing being attached to a Wall or ceiling, or any `and 25 and 26 are additional holes which serve res ectively as a means for holding the clip in p for the connections 13 and 15. The faces .of the legs 3 are recessed, as shown at 27, to re ceive the terminal clips.

28 indicates studs projecting upward from the porcelain to which the clips may be screwed or soldered at the holes 25 therein. In this relation the holes 26 comedirectly in alinement withthe )assages 18 and 19 before mentioned, so tiat the wires 13 and 15 may be drawn through said holes and soldered to the clips. j

An important feature of my invention revand ace, and as a point of attachment lates to the provision of a ledge 29 circum- 1^ ferentially around the edge of the legs 3. The form of this ledge is 'clearly indicated in Fig. 2, and it will be seen that it has a flaring form adapted to shed water awa from the clips and terminal connections w en the rece )tacle is in use and secured in its normal relation upon a roof or ceiling.

3() indicates screws which are received in the threaded holes 24 to constitute the'terminal connections, and in this relation the screws cooperate with the ears 23 above mentioned. 'lhe bared portion of the` circuit wire may be securely clamped against each ear by the corresponding screw 30. In this relation the circuit wires, indicated at 31, are sharply bent at the region where they are secured to the legs This is because of the `ledge 29, which supports the circuit wire at two points, and tie circuit wire must be sharply bent or deflected between these two points in order to permit of the connection with the terminal clip by the screw 30. AI provide means by which this bending or dellection of the circuit wires into the legs 3 is conveniently accomplished, and any excessivey strain removed from the terminal cli in use. 'lhe means which I employ is il us trated in Figs. 2 and 4, and eomprisesa pair of caps 32, over the various screws and terminal parts, and which are ofv a diameter to be received which have faces recessed to iit inside of the ledge 29. indicates eut-away portions on the peripheiw7 of these caps to permit the circuit wires to issue beneath them. These caps are screwed toward the. respective legs by anv convenient means, such as the bolts 34, axially located in the legs 'for Athis purpose. An important `feature oi' these caps lies in the z irrangement by which a bearing shoulder 35 is formed on each, and which engages the outside cylindrical surface of the part 2 ol' the receptacle. By means olI this bearing shoulder a turning moment is produced which opposes the turning moment; due to the clamping action on the circuit wire 31 when the cap is clamped thereon. This is a very desirable feature because since the circuit Wire is at one side ol the clampingl bolt 34, there. would be an unequal strain tending t0 break the cap, were not a torce produced to);` oppose the otherwise unbalanced'clanif'iing action. ln practice l'pro- Vide a boss or protuberance 36, upon cach ot' the legs 3, an( which surrounds the bolt 3l so as to insulate the same from the clip 22. Each ofthe caps 32 is properly recessed to admitthe boss 36 ot the corresponding leg.

The receptacle is, ol course, ordinarilj.7 used upon ceilings and in positions where the The circuit wires ing'surliace by `the nature ol' their connection with the receptacles, which thereby exercrises a double tunctiolro't supporting the conduit wires, and forming sockets for the lamps. The practice is to first screw the main housing or body in position by means of the screws 20, and the circuit wires being then bared for a short distance, are bent so as to pass under the terminal screws 230. These being tightened it is evident that the bared portions ot' the circuit wires will be securely clamped against the ears 23 oi the terminal clips 22. 'lhis completes an elec.-

.tric circuit from the two circuit Wires with the lamp terminals. The caps 312 are now positioned and the bolts 34 assembled into place, the nuts 46 therefor being conveniently permanently embedded in the porcelain. When the bolts are tightened, the caps 32 are pressed downward with considerable torce but on account et the balanced forces of the shoulder 35 and the reaction of the clamping force` there are no breaking strains imparted to the cap. The circuit Wires are, however, forcibly depressed, and firmly clamped` in position uponv the recessed face of each ot the legs o. In this relation the ledges 29 are effective to constitute a perfect water shed for the metallic terminals ai el connections. Tl is true because the le .',ges overlap not only all the connectionsJ but the caps 32, and also the bared portion of the circuit wires, by reasoiroi" the dellec- ,tion of the wires at this point. Accordingly Water does not enter into contact with l l l l l l l l l l t l 1 i l l l l i l 1 l l the metallic paris and corrosion is prevented, The need l'or perfect protection against ingress ol" water is not so great al this point, however, as it is lor thc interior paris ol' the lamp socket, because there are no mctallic parts ou either leg of potential or polarity dill'erent from one another,

Within the socket where there arc metallic parts of different polaritf,Y it is almost, or absolutely, impossible l'or water to enter. The normal position ot the parts lcavcs thc open end ol the socket downward, so that water drains from the edges, and does not enter at this point. Moreover thc cement N is ell'cctivc to prevent ingress olx water around the edges ol' th'c shell. The closed end 1T ol the housing prevents water from entering here, and the passages IS and 1.) are disposed so that water would not enter therethrough, because ol their down 'ard direction in normal use. Moreover these passages lead into the recessed parts o'l` the legs I, protected. against water by thc ledges 29, and thc passages are lillcd with cement as an additional protection. .3jr all these means it is prac.-

ticallr impossible tor an)v dampness to enter f the central parl. ot the receptacle where there arc metallic terminals olt dill'erent polarit) or potential.

()n account oli the method b which the shell 5 is held in the housingl by the llaring lips 7 and the protuberanccs 9, there is lno bod)V ol" cement between. the shell and the housing to cause the latter to crack by unequal expansion. The connection between the two is sullicicntly"loose to permit them to expand and contract at dillcrcnt rales without breaking the pin'cclain.

Yln Figs. o and 7 'l have illustrated a form of receptacle having legs il similar to the legs 3' alread)l described. provided caps 32 f fen'erall)Y similar to the caps 32 of the preceding modilication with respect to their feature in clamping the circuit wires 31. Instead of the bolts 34, howe\'c1,l provide axially disposed wood screws 37 which screw down through the caps and into the ceiling or woodwork which constitutes the support ol' the receptacle. ln this forni olt the invention thecomiecting wires 13/ and 15 extend through holes in the housing and ma)v be soldered to the circuitwires at the points 38 and 3S). This forni of the invention has advantages on the ground of eheapness and simplicity, but I regard it as interior to my preferred form, because of the slightl)rv less cer tain exclusion of the dampness, and the somewhat greater inconvenience oiv making the connections by soldered and. tapped joints. The engaging surfaces of the 3 and the capsl may be lett plane or llat it desired, or they may be grooved, as shown at 40, so as to more. elliciently guide the circuit wires. ln either case, `the pressure ol the clamping force is There are alsov balanced by the engagement of the caps with the walls of the central cylindrical part of the housing, exactly as in the preceding modification, and breaking strains are thereby avoided.

What I claim, is 2- 1. An out-door lamp receptacle compris-A said integral body, fastening means passed f through said legs to hold the housing to a supporting surface, means for securing the circuit wires to said legs and wires passed through said ducts or passages for establishing the electric connections.

3. An out-door lamp receptacle comprising a body orhousing with a central cylindrical portion and a pair of legs adjacent thereto and integral therewith, and caps cooperating with said legs and bearing against said cylindrical portion and laterally supported thereby for clamping the circuit wires and producing a downward clamping action thereon.

4. An out-door lamp receptacle comprising a body or h'ousing having a central cyliny drical portion forming a lamp socket, and legs adjacent to said housing and forming a sup ort therefor and for the circuit Wires, sai ducts or passages being wholly inclosed throughout their length,y said body having ilnclosed ducts or passages leading to said egs.

5. An out-door lamp receptacle comprising a body or housing having al pair of legs integral therewith, adapted to support the circuit wires, caps coperating with said legs,

said caps being arranged to bear against a wall of the housing in their clamping action, such Wall acting as a fulcrum in the downward clamping action ofthe caps.

6. In an out-door lamp receptacle, a body i or housing having legs integral therewith,

said legs having their up er edges overhanging or extending beyon for shedding water from the legs, and means lprotected by said ledges/for making the terminal connections ofthe receptacle.

'7. In an out-door lamp receptacle, a body or housing having legs integral therewith,

each leg having a circumferential ledge eX- tending'beyond and out vof the plane of the middle portion and arranged to shed water therefrom, and metallic clips on said legs prothe plane of thecentral portion thereby constituting ledges.'

tected by said ledges for engaging the circuit; y

wires and making the electrical connections,

of the receptacle. i f

8. In an out-door lamp receptacle, a body or housing having legs integral therewith, each of said lees having a circumferential ledge extending e ond and arranged to shed water, clips on sai legs for engaging the circuit wires, and caps bearing on the circuit. wires to depress-the same out of the plane of the middle portion and into engagement with said clips.

9. ,In an out-door lamp receptacle,a housing having a cylindrical cavity, said cavity being recessed or channeled near'its open end, an

said channel and cemented thereto.

10. In an out-door lampreceptacle, a"

housing having a cavity to receive a threaded shell and having a channel near its open end a threaded shell havinga flaring edge in said channel, and protuberances on saidshell engaged with recesses in the housing to anchor the shell against turning movment,A l

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMEs s. STEWART.

'VVitnessesf l WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE, FRANK S. OBER.

so a threaded shell having a flaring edge or lip 1n- 

